Syllabus for IPhO

General :

A.The extensive use of the calculus (differentiation and integration) and the use of complex numbers or solving differential equations should not be required to solve the theoretical and practical problems.

B.Questions may contain concepts and phenomena not contained in the Syllabus but sufficient information must be given in the questions so that candidates without previous knowledge of these topics would not be at a disadvantage.

C.Sophisticated practical equipment likely to be unfamiliar to the candidates should not dominate a problem. If such devices are used then careful instructions must be given to the candidates.

D.The original texts of the problems have to be set in the SI units.

A. THEORETICAL PART

1. MECHANICS

a] Foundation of kinematics of a point mass

* Note: vector description of the position of the point mass, velocity and acceleration as vectors

b] Newton’s laws, inertial systems

* Note: problems may be set on changing mass

c] Closed and open systems, momentum and energy, work, power

d] Conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum, impulse

e] Elastic forces, frictional forces, the law of gravitation, potential energy and work in a gravitational field

* Note: displacement in a progressive wave and understanding of graphical representation of the wave, measurements of velocity of sound and light, Doppler effect in one dimension only, propagation of waves in homogeneous and isotropic media, reflection and refraction, Fermat’s principle

* Note: realization that intensity of wave is proportional to the square of its amplitude. Fourier analysis is not required but candidates should have some understanding that complex waves can be made from addition of simple sinusoidal waves of different frequencies. Interference due to thin films and other simple systems (final formulas are not required), superposition of waves from secondary sources (diffraction)

The Theoretical Part of the Syllabus provides the basis for all the experimental problems. The experimental problems given in the experimental contest should contain measurements. Additional requirements:

1] Candidates must be aware that instruments affect measurements.

2] Knowledge of the most common experimental techniques for measuring physical quantities mentioned in Part A.

4] Ability to use, with the help of proper instruction, some sophisticated instruments and devices such as double-beam oscilloscope, counter, ratemeter, signal and function generators, analog-to-digital converter connected to a computer, amplifier, integrator, differentiator, power supply, universal (analog and digital) volt-, ohm- and ammeters.

5] Proper identification of error sources and estimation of their influence on the final result(s).

6]Absolute and relative errors, accuracy of measuring instruments, error of a single measurement, error of a series of measurements, error of a quantity given as a function of measured quantities.

7] Transformation of a dependence to the linear form by appropriate choice of variables and fitting a straight line to experimental points.

8] Proper use of the graph paper with different scales (for example polar and logarithmic papers).

9] Correct rounding off and expressing the final result(s) and error(s) with correct number of significant digits.

10] Standard knowledge of safety in laboratory work. (Nevertheless, if the experimental set-up contains any safety hazards the appropriate warnings should be included into the text of the problem.)

Please note:

The syllabus for National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP) is broadly equivalent to the senior secondary level (Class XI and Class XII) of CBSE Physics. This is only a rough guideline, and there is no detailed syllabus given for NSEP.

The syllabus for Indian National Physics Olympiad (INPhO) is broadly similar to NSEP but the difficulty level of the questions will be higher. Questions and problems in National Olympiads are usually non-conventional and of high difficulty level, comparable to International Olympiads.